Miss America to throw first pitch at ALWS game

Friday

Apr 14, 2017 at 1:36 PMApr 14, 2017 at 2:48 PM

Wade Allen WadeAllenStar

Miss America Savvy Shields will throw a first pitch at the American Legion World Series games in Shelby on Sunday, Aug. 13.

She will participate in a presentation before the 7:30 p.m. game and appear at a ticketed meet-and-greet at LeGrand Center that weekend. The local ALWS committee designated Aug. 13 as Law Enforcement Day. The tournament is dedicated in memory of the late Shelby police officer Tim Brackeen, killed last year in the line of duty.

The Miss Shelby Organization and its Executive Director Danyel Phelps are coordinating Shields’ appearance. Since February, Phelps worked to make it happen.

“You can’t get any more American than Miss America and baseball,” she said.

Meet Miss America

While in Cleveland County, Shields will be escorted by Miss Shelby Andrea Jhant, Miss Shelby's Outstanding Teen Ashlyn Stoker, and Miss Shelby Organization staff. Phelps recently joined Jhant and Stoker at an event to hear Shields speak.

“She will be a Miss America that will leave big shoes to fill. It will be hard for anybody to come behind her,” Phelps said. “She has been fabulous. She has been so busy. She’s been everywhere. People are clamoring to get her because she’s such a genuine person.”

Seeing Shields in person makes the potential of being Miss America real, Phelps said. The Miss America Organization is the nation’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women.

Shields is a student at the University of Arkansas, studying art with a minor in business. Upon winning the crown, she received a $50,000 scholarship. Her personal platform is “eat better, live better” emphasizing how foods people eat impacts their lives as a whole. She serves as the national goodwill ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

“She’s a real person. A lot of times when you meet someone that’s an icon like that, they are so professional and so business that you don’t get a feeling of their heart,” Phelps said. “Savvy is a real, genuine, honest person. She's all about being your genuine self.”

Details are still in the works for the public meet-and-greet at LeGrand Center. Phelps said watch the Miss Shelby and Miss Shelby’s Outstanding Teen social media pages for information, or email her at danyelwp@hotmail.com. As ticket information is announced, The Star will provide an update.

Plans are for Shields to speak, sign autographs, and take quick selfies with those at LeGrand Center. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit Children’s Miracle Network, and a portion goes to a Miss Shelby scholarship.

Wade Allen can be reached at 704-669-3331 and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/wadeallenstar.